Prep softball: Tam’s early-season vibes continue with win against Terra Linda

The softball teams from Tam High and Terra Linda entered Friday’s head-to-head meeting with sparkling win-loss records, including victories over MCAL playoff teams from a season ago.

Tam pitcher Ava Lee ensured that the Red-tailed Hawks’ early-season vibes continued, striking out 14 hitters and enjoying a five-RBI day at the plate to lead Tam to a 13-4 road win.

“I’m super proud of our team,” Lee said. “We’ve just been rolling through the wins. It’s a completely different vibe from last year, even though we lost a couple of players and we didn’t really gain any new freshmen. It’s a totally different vibe. We’re just supporting each other. We want to be here and we want to win.”

Both teams scored three runs in the first inning but Tam (7-1, 3-1 MCAL) kept on scoring, highlighted by a seven-run outburst in the third. The Red-tailed Hawks have outscored opponents 52-12 this season and capped an impressive week that featured a 4-3 loss to Redwood on Monday and a 1-0 win against San Rafael on Wednesday.

“We’re definitely keeping it humble but we’re definitely excited about the fast start,” Tam coach Lynnette Egenlauf said. “We’re starting off hot and that’s a great thing but we also have to make sure our girls understand at any moment this can turn. We want to stay humble. We want to make sure that we’re doing our work and we’re putting in the effort.”

Tam started the game off against TL (8-2, 2-2) with a bang, scoring 12 runs in the first three innings. Lee drove in the first two runs with a line drive to left field then Elisa Cobb singled on a line drive to center for a 3-0 lead.

For one inning at least, the Trojans — whose marquee win so far this season was a 2-1 victory against San Marin — appeared more than capable of trading runs with Tam. Lacey Graham led off the bottom of the first with a home run over the right-field wall. Naomi Lewis reached on a dropped third strike then Eleanor Johnson tripled to left field to make it 3-2.

“The first inning was a little rough,” Lee said. “I was kind of figuring things out, seeing what the batters were hitting, what they weren’t and I just adjusted from there. I like to mix in different speeds and just kind of throw the speed that they’re not expecting.”

Terra Linda pushed across a third run to tie the game. Lee eventually struck out the side giving her four in one inning. Lee would go on to strike out the side in both the second and fourth innings.

“The first three batters – what it is is we’re just trying to figure out what they can do,” Egenlauf said. “We’re calling pitches and Ava had mental toughness. Those batters did not shake her whatsoever. She just knew and understood that she had more in the arsenal that she could throw and that her team was behind her.”

Tam extended to a 5-3 lead in the top of the second inning on a two-run single by Eden Clark, but the real damage came in the third inning. Annica Harris, who went 3 for 4, singled to make it 7-3 then Zoe Pletcher singled for a 9-3 lead.

Clark hit into a fielder’s choice then Lee delivered the knockout blow with a deep drive to center field that ended up being called a home run.

“(TL pitcher Johnson) had thrown a few rise balls,” Lee said. “She had thrown me a changeup but most of the strikes she was nailing on that inside pitch. I’m not really sure if it was a screw or a fastball. But it was a faster pitch and I was really sitting on that. It ended up kind of middle in and I just sat on it.”

Lewis almost came up with a spectacular play in center to deny Lee the hit as the ball nestled into her glove briefly as she raced toward the wall. Lewis crashed into the wall, the ball popped loose and Lee came around to score. The umpires debated on whether to send Lee back to second base with a double but ultimately allowed the home run to stand, pushing Tam’s lead to 12-3.

“It was a really really nice effort,” Lee said of Lewis’ play in center. “I think she hit the fence and it was super close. I thought she had it.”

The play was somewhat emblematic of TL’s defense on the day. The Trojans made the first part of many strong plays on defense, usually coming up with a great stop on the infield, but were then unable to cleanly pick the ball up or make an accurate throw to first base or home plate to complete the play. TL was credited with six errors on the day. Only three of Johnson’s 12 runs allowed were earned.

Around the county

Novato junior Seanna Madsen had a big day at the plate during the Hornets’ 8-3 road victory over Montgomery in Friday’s non-league contest. Madsen was 3 for 4 with a double and three runs scored, while junior Allie Tubach had a hit and four RBIs. Senior Claire Hannan threw a complete-game six hitter with 10 strikeouts, and was 3 for 3 at the plate with an RBI and two runs.